Senator A J McLACHLAN (SOUTH AUSTRALIA) (Postmaster-General)
. - I presume that the Leader of the Opposition (Senator Collings) is referring to the veneers produced in the vicinity of Cairns, some of which are exported. In 1933 the Tariff Board conducted an investigation into the industry and decided that the duties were sufficient to protect the manufacture of Australian veneer. When I inspected the plant at Cairns beautiful veneerswere being produced. The United States of America, which imposes a duty on Queensland logs from which veneers are made, omitted to impose a protective duty on veneers and, in consequence of this oversight, the Queensland industry has developed to a considerable extent. The whole subjecthas been examined closely by the Tariff Board and the addendum to its report shows that the Board was unanimously of the opinion that the duties provided are adequate. I understand that most of the imports are admitted under by-law, and are of a kind which cannot be produced in Australia.